Envelope



1929. B. A. DAHLKE 1,714,349

ENVELOPE Filed Oct. 4, 1927 Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ENVELOPE.

Application filed October 24, 1927. Serial No. 228,127.

This invention relates generally to stationcry but more particularly toimprovements in mailingenvelopes, post cards and the like to betransmitted by special service, such as airplane mail.

It has for its chief object to provide an envelope of this characterwhich is neat and distinctive in appearance, and of a nature to bequickly sortable or classified by the mail clerks, irrespective ofwhether it is brought to their attention singly or in a bundle ofmiscellaneous mail matter.

Another object is the provision of an envelope having its distinguishingcharacteristics so displayed that they will in no way interfere with thespaces required for the stamps, forwarding address and return address.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front view of an envelopeembodying my invention. Figure 2 is a rear view thereof. Figures 3 and 4are longitudinal and transverse edge views, respective ly, of theenvelope. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a bundle of envelopesinterspersed with the envelopes of my invention.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

While my invention is applicable to the various sorts of mail matter nowdispatched through the mails, it has been shown, by way of example, inconnection with an envelope 10 having its sealing flap 11 disposed atits upper rear side. The envelope has been designed to facilitate andinsure its proper distribution or segregation for special mallingservice, as, in the instant case, airplane transmission from one placeto another, and to that end embodies a distinguishing and characteristicborder which is applied to the front and rear sides of the enevelope aswell as around the longitudinal and transverse edges thereof, so thatthe same can be quickly detected in any position whatsoever, eitheralone or interspersed in a bundle of mail matter, and be sorted andtransmitted without oversight to the proper bags or carriers providedfor such air mail matter.

In its preferred form, this distinguishing border consists of a seriesof differently colored bars or blocks 12, 13 disposed in spacedrelation. The blocks 12 are shown as of a red color and the alternatingblocks 13 as blue, while the intervening spaces are of the color of theenvelope, usually white, there by producing a distinguishing red, whiteand blue border extending around the margins and edges of the envelope.As shown in Figure 1 the border, by preference, does not extend alongthe upper right hand corner of the envelope, but terminates a suitabledistance therefrom to provide an open and unprinted space for thepostage. On the reverse or rear side of the envelope and opposite thelastnamed corner, the colored blocks of the border extend around suchcorner but are preferably spaced from the extreme edge of the envelopein the manner shown in F igure 2.

By shaping the colored border-blocks 12, 13 in substantially the form ofa parallelogram, as shown, and printing them in contrasting colors, astriking, conspicuous and distinctive disconnected or interrupted borderdesign is produced which immediately attracts the eye and serves as aflash or sig nal, facilitating the duty of giving such mail the specialattention required of mail clerks and insuring the quick and promptdelivery to which such mail is entitled. Furthermore, by carrying thischaracteristic border around the edges of the envelope, it can bereadily detected in a pile, bundle or stack of miscellane ous envelopes,as shown in 5, thereby materially aiding in the quick assortment of airmail, or other special mail.

I claim as my invention 1. An article of the character described, havinga disconnected marginal border of contrasting colors.

2. An article of the character described, having on its front and rearfaces and along its marginal edges a disconnected border of contrastingcolors.

3. An article of the character described, having a characteristic borderextending in an interrupted fashion along its marginal faces and aroundits edges.

a. An article of the character described,having a disconnected marginalborder of contrasting colors, said border being carried around thelongitudinal and transverse edges of the envelope.

5. An article of the character described, having a marginal bordercomposed of a series of contrasting colored blocks, said blocksextending around the front and rear sides of the envelope and around itslongitudinal and transverse edges.

6. An article of the character described,

having a marginal border composed of a series of contrasting coloredsymbols extending around its longitudinal and transverse edges, thelongitudinally disposed border symbols being spaced apart in thedirection of the length of the envelope and the transversely disposedborder elements being spaced apart in the direction of the Width of theenvelope.

BENJAMIN A. DAHLKE.

